Kylian Mbappe addresses Vinicius Junior competition at Real Madrid as he sends definitive message to Carlo Ancelotti on his potential role in the team
Kylian Mbappe confronts Vinicius Junior competition at Real Madrid, sending a clear message to Carlo Ancelotti about his possible place in the club.
Following his transfer from Paris Saint-Germain to Madrid, the 25-year-old was introduced to the Spanish club’s supporters this week, with the Frenchman fielding a slew of questions about joining Los Blancos. Two of them concerned where he would play and if he could mesh well with left winger Vinicius Jr.
At his unveiling event at Santiago Bernabeu, the attacker stated, “I will play wherever the coach (Ancelotti) wants me to play.” In Paris, I played all three positions. In Monaco, too. The most essential thing is to stay in good physical form. The position in which I shall play is unimportant.”
He said of the Brazilian: “Vinicius is a special player, a really excellent player. I will be delighted to play with him, as with all of the other players. I believe that great players know how to play together. He’s been great in recent seasons. It’s up to me to adjust to the team. I’ll complete it as soon as possible to assist the team win.”
THE BIGGER PICTURE
Mbappe has probably become one of the world’s top players by playing as a left-sided attacker for both PSG and France. However, Vinicius is in the running for the Ballon d’Or following a standout season in that position for Madrid. The 25-year-old Frenchman is content to play as a centre-forward, but whether they can work together remains to be seen.
Following a disastrous Euro 2024 campaign with France, in which he broke his nose, Mbappe will begin his pre-season campaign in the coming weeks before ramping up preparations for his first season with Madrid in August.
